How to Grow Tomatillos
Are you ready to add a little zing to your garden and meals? It’s time to learn how to grow tomatillos – the lesser-known, zesty cousin of the tomato. Tomatillos are easy to grow, love warm weather, and yield an abundant harvest. These tangy green fruits, tucked inside delicate papery husks, are perfect for fresh salsas and sauces. Here’s how to grow tomatillos successfully, from seed to harvest
7 Tips for How to Grow Tomatillos
1. Plant tomatillos correctly and at the best time
When to plant tomatillos:
Tomatillos require a long growing season, so it’s wise to start seeds indoors or purchase healthy transplants from a local nursery to ensure your tomatillos have ample time to grow and produce a bountiful harvest.
If starting from seed indoors, start seeds 6 – 8 weeks before the last frost. Not sure when your last frost date is? Enter your zip code into this Frost Date Calculator.
Seeds are available from Seedsnow.com.
The ideal time to plant tomatillos is when the danger of frost has passed, and the soil temperature reaches at least 60°F (15.5°C). Tomatillos prefer warm soil (70-80℉ / 21-26°C) and are frost and cold-sensitive. Use a soil thermometer to check soil temperature before planting.
In the low desert of Arizona:
- Start seeds indoors: December – January and May – July
- Plant transplants outside: February 15 – March and July 15 – September
How to plant tomatillos:
When transplanting seedlings outdoors, ensure they are spaced 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) apart in rows 3 feet (1 m) apart to provide ample room for growth. Tomatillos thrive in well-draining, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Amend your soil with compost or well-rotted manure. For square-foot gardening, allow 4 squares per plant.
Tomatillo means “little tomato” in Spanish, and just like tomatoes, tomatillos can be planted deeply – up to the top leaves of the plant. Roots will form along the stem of the buried tomatillo and feed the growing plant. Get more information about how to plant tomatoes in this guide.
2. Give tomatillos plenty of room, support & sunlight
When planting tomatillos, give them plenty of room to grow and support to climb. Tomatillo plants can reach up to 5 feet (1.5 m) in height and 3 feet (1 m) in width, so make sure you give them enough space for their roots to spread out.
As tomatillo plants grow, they can become quite heavy with fruit. Provide support by staking or using tomato cages to keep branches off the ground and prevent damage. Get vertical support ideas in this guide.
Tomatillos also need plenty of sunlight, so choose a spot that gets at least 6 hours of direct sun each day.
Provide afternoon shade for tomatillos if you live in a hot summer climate like the low desert of Arizona. This post shares ways to add shade to your garden.
3. Encourage pollination for a successful harvest
One essential tip for successfully growing tomatillos is to always plant at least two plants near each other. Unlike other plants, tomatillos are not self-fruitful and require cross-pollination to produce fruit. By planting a minimum of two tomatillo plants in proximity, you’ll ensure that pollinators can easily transfer pollen between them, leading to a plentiful harvest.
Encourage pollinators like bees and butterflies to visit your garden by planting flowers nearby. This will help ensure successful cross-pollination and fruit set.
4. Care for growing tomatillos correctly
- Tomatillos need even moisture to prevent blossom end rot. The soil should be well-draining. Water regularly during dry periods. Avoid overwatering, as this can lead to root rot.
- Mulching: Apply a layer of organic mulch around the base of your plants to help retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds.
- Don’t give tomatillos supplemental nitrogen, as this can lead to excessive foliage growth at the expense of fruit production. Instead, provide a balanced, organic fertilizer high in phosphorous and potassium to encourage healthy fruiting as needed. To determine whether your soil is lacking these essential nutrients, consider conducting a soil test.
- Remove any suckers (small shoots growing from the base of the plant) and lower leaves that touch the ground to improve air circulation and reduce the risk of disease.
5. Keep an eye out for common pests & diseases
Like other plants, Tomatillos can fall prey to various pests and diseases. Read this blog post for organic pest control ideas that really work.
Common pests that may affect your tomatillo plants:
- Aphids: These tiny insects suck sap from plant leaves, causing them to curl and distort. They can also spread plant viruses.
- Tomato Hornworms: These large green caterpillars can cause significant damage to tomatillo foliage. Handpick them from your plants or use a natural pesticide like Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to control their population.
- Flea Beetles: These small black beetles chew tiny holes in the leaves. Use floating row covers to protect young plants, or apply diatomaceous earth.
- Whiteflies: These small white insects feed on plant sap, leading to yellowing leaves and stunted growth. Control whiteflies with sticky traps.
- Cutworms: These caterpillars feed on the stems of young plants at ground level, causing them to collapse. Protect your plants by placing collars around the base of the stem or applying diatomaceous earth.
- Spider Mites: These tiny pests can cause leaves to turn yellow and dry out. Increase humidity around your plants.
- Three-lined Cucumber Beetles: These beetles feed on the foliage and flowers of various plants, including tomatillos, causing significant damage and potentially spreading bacterial wilt.
Methods to manage and prevent pest damage on tomatillo plants:
- Regularly inspect your tomatillo plants for signs of pests; early detection is key to successfully keeping them in check.
- Physical barriers: Use floating row covers to protect your plants, especially during the early stages of growth when they are most vulnerable.
- Beneficial insects: Encourage natural predators like ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps by planting diverse flowering plants in your garden.
- Trap crops: Plant attractive trap crops, such as borage, near your tomatillos to lure pests away from your main crop. Read this blog post for more companion planting ideas.
- Handpicking: Be vigilant about checking your tomatillo plants and handpick beetles. Check the undersides of leaves for eggs. Keep a cup of soapy water near your plant to dispose of pests easily.
Diseases that may affect your tomatillo plants:
- Early blight: This fungal disease causes dark spots on leaves, which can eventually lead to yellowing and dropping off. It can also cause lesions on stems and fruits.
- Late blight: Another fungal disease that causes irregular-shaped brown or black spots on leaves, stems, and fruits. Late blight can spread quickly and is often more severe in cool, wet conditions.
- Verticillium wilt: A soil-borne fungal disease that causes yellowing and wilting of leaves, usually starting from the lower part of the plant and moving upward.
- Fusarium wilt: Similar to Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt is also a soil-borne fungal disease that causes wilting and yellowing of leaves.
Prevention of common tomatillo diseases:
- Crop rotation: Rotate your crops every 2-3 years to minimize the buildup of soil-borne pathogens.
- Plant resistant varieties: Choose tomatillo varieties resistant to common diseases when possible.
- Healthy soil: Maintain healthy soil with good drainage and proper nutrient balance. Use compost and organic matter to improve soil structure.
- Watering: Water your plants at the base to avoid wetting the foliage, which can promote fungal growth. Water early in the day to allow leaves to dry before nightfall.
- Pruning: Remove any diseased or damaged plant parts and maintain good air circulation by pruning excess foliage.
- Sanitation: Clean up plant debris and fallen leaves to reduce the chance of disease spreading.
Organic Treatment for tomatillo diseases:
- Baking soda spray: Mix one tablespoon of baking soda with 2.5 tablespoons of vegetable oil and a gallon of water. Spray on affected plants every 7-10 days to help control fungal diseases.
- Copper fungicides: Use copper-based fungicides as a preventative measure or to treat early signs of fungal diseases. Always follow the label instructions for proper application.
- Biological control: Use beneficial microorganisms like Trichoderma or Bacillus subtilis to suppress soil-borne pathogens.
6. Harvest tomatillos at the right time
Fruit typically begins to ripen 60 – 80 days after transplant and continues to produce through frost. Picking tomatillos as they ripen encourages the plant to keep producing.
| Underripe |
Overripe |
Just Right |
|
Loose husk |
Very dry husk |
Husk just beginning to dry out |
|
Fruit is small and hard |
Yellow fruit |
Fruit fills husk |
|
Larger seeds |
Slight softening of fruit | |
|
Less flavor | Best flavor; smaller seeds |
7. Enjoy the harvest
Once you know how to grow tomatillos, you’ll have plenty to share with family and friends.
- Storing: Keep your tomatillos fresh by storing them in the refrigerator with their husks still on. This helps maintain their freshness and flavor for an extended period.
- Preparation: When you’re ready to use your tomatillos, remove the husks and rinse off any sticky residue under running water.
- Fresh uses: Chop up fresh tomatillos and add them to guacamole or salsa for a tangy twist. Their unique flavor complements many dishes, especially those from Mexican cuisine.
- Cooking methods: Roasting or sautéing tomatillos brings out their natural sweetness and deepens their flavor. For a deliciously complex taste, use roasted or sautéed tomatillos in sauces, salsas, or stews.
I’m growing my indoors first and the leaves have raised yellow bumps ?? Do you know what’s causing it??
The leaves seem to be breaking out in like a cancerous type of thing where the leaves just literally fall apart because in them ugly
The heat may be causing issues.
Hi. My 4 tomatillo plants are growing like crazy (2 green, 2 purple) but I seem to be having 2 issues: 1) few blossoms and 2) no fruit despite blossoms. So I have 2 questions.
I think your post just addressed issue #1–few blossoms relative to great foliage growth–too much nitrogen given–the organic fertilizer I used when I planted the starts is 4-3-1 and I just added some more a couple of days ago. Is there a way to address this problem?
Any thoughts on the second issue? I am shading them in the afternoon but there are several hours in which pollinators have access to the blossoms. The blossoms look great and happy and then they shrivel and fall off.
TIA!
Heather
High temps also affect pollen – that may be part of the problem. If you can keep it alive over the summer you may have better luck with pollination rates as temps cool.
Hi I had a few tomatillos plants I started I knew they grew quite big so I shared them they all were doing great. I kept 2 Well one was (is) big & one not as big. My landlord cut down some branches & let them smash down into all my plants I’ve been tending so diligently. The smaller tomatillos plant was unsaveable. So now I have 1 large one it has alot of fruit growing & flowers, but now I just read about companion plant, will it not grow more, or pollinate? I do have lot of visiting bees. It is in a container I move it to shade in late afternoon this is so upsetting! Thank You!
It may not have more fruit set without a second one going forward. You could move it to get afternoon shade if desired.
My tomatillos grew nicely but the fruit was not as big as it should have been. I know they don’t get real large but most were size of small cherry tomatoes. Is there something I can do to help make plant grow the fruit larger?
It might be the variety. You could also try fertilizing with a bloom/fruiting fertilizer. https://amzn.to/3B7eLYj
Hi, Thank you for all this great information. I have a question I hope that you might be able to answer. I’m growing (in pots) for the first time in the Netherlands and we’re having a warm, sunny (sometimes very hot) summer. Quite a lot of my tomatillos are turning yellow before they fill the husk. Do you know what would cause that? Plus, the ones that are good need to be picked before the husks turn brown/burst (basically as soon as they fill the husk). Is that normal?
I’m sorry. Not sure of the exact species, but here are a couple of things you can do. Put floating row cover over the plants. You can also treat with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) an organic option that is harmful to caterpillars but not to other insects, etc. https://amzn.to/3CGQKuw
My bush is huge. Should I be pruning for larger fruit. I have some tomatillos but they seem very small. I live in Tucson and plants were put out end of July.
You can prune for size as needed, you may get less fruit, but larger.
I had a bumper crop 2 years ago. The next year they came back without me planting anything. Will they continue to come back in the same spot? How will I rotate in this case?
Tomatillos often reseed from dropped fruit. It is better to rotate where they are planted. If you get another volunteer, gently transplant it to another area of your garden if possible.
Can I plant green beans by my tomatillo plant or would that be too much nitrogen?
That would be fine.
I have 1 tomatillo plant volunteer from the compost. It has begun producing fruit to my amazement. I guess only 1 is needed for this type.
I did not know about he companion plant needed and now the store is out of the plants. Will it work if propagate from my original plant?
Unfortunately a cutting would be clone of your plant. Keep an eye out for another plant. Some people say they’ve had fruit even when only one plant is present, so maybe yours will be the same.